advertisement

SSN on Facebook SSN on Twitter SSN on YouTube RSS Feed

9 Comments
Politics

Jeff Brandes Pushes Proposal to Scrap, Revamp Florida's Medical Marijuana Laws

June 8, 2017 - 9:15am

A Republican senator has filed a measure to get rid of all the medical marijuana laws on Florida's books and start from scratch.

On Thursday, Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, filed legislation to implement the constitutional amendment to expand medical marijuana and regulate the industry in the Sunshine State.
 
The proposal would start Florida over with a clean slate for regulating medical marijuana by repealing the current laws on the books for the low-THC medical marijuana industry. 
 
Brandes is filing the measure as an amendment to the Senate’s current medical marijuana proposal. 
 
Brandes’ proposal would eliminate a hard number of licenses for medical marijuana treatment centers (MMTCs) and would instead base the number of licensees on market demand.
 
The Legislature’s current proposal, sponsored Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, would require the state to approve 10 new licenses by October, with at least one of those licenses being granted to a member of the Florida Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association.
 

Jeff Brandes
Jeff Brandes

SB 8A would also eliminate the requirement that the same companies must grow, process, transport and dispense medical marijuana. 
 
The measure would also limit the number of retail facilities to no more than one per 25,000 residents. 
 
The bill would also allow doctors more freedom in determining how patients should consume the drug rather than state lawmakers. The current proposal would allow edibles, THC oil and capsules but would ban smoking. 
 
Brandes is filing the “free market” measure as an amendment to the Senate’s current medical marijuana proposal. 
 
“This proposal is the purest implementation proposal that the legislature has seen to date for Amendment 2,” Brandes said. “For the first time the Florida Senate will have an opportunity to vote consistent with our Republican principles of free markets and fair competition. This legislation puts Florida patients first, and protects the physician-patient relationship.”
 
The St. Petersburg Republican filed the same legislation during the regular legislative session, but the bill did not gain much traction and lawmakers instead chose Bradley’s proposal to regulate the industry, which is set to explode. 
 
On Wednesday, Bradley introduced the main bill to regulate medical marijuana, with a House committee voting in favor of it by Wednesday evening.

The full House is scheduled to take up the measure for a vote on Thursday. 
  
 

Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen

 

Comments

The proposal would start Florida over with a clean slate for regulating medical marijuana by repealing the current laws on the books for the low-THC medical marijuana industry. This is not what we voted for, it's what Florida's lawmakers slid into there own pork as usual.

Vaping is not bad for your lungs. Allow vaping of the natural plant and smoking will not be necessary. Patients should not be forced to ingest or vape processed oils made out of who knows what - that is not healthy. If we can purchase the actual plant for vaping, we can know the quality of what we are purchasing and ingesting. Using the natural plant is also the best way to get the most benefits from this medicine.

WOW! A Legislator who must have heard from constituents! Both of my emails are already on the way! Not a bad start.

I just called my Senator and next my representative to back Brandes' amendment . Call yours now. Anyone who doesn't follow the will of 71% of the voters will not like it next election.

This is the definition of incompetence...

They are doing it again, smoking is the least costly method, them folks who are making these decisions either cannot read or are willfully disobeying the wishes of the electorate. The constitution has been amended by a clear majority and the constitution is the foundation of the laws in Florida. The correct thing to do is follow the law and stop the heel dragging and whining, do what the people put you there to do. and bring this medicine to the people as soon as possible.

Quit smoking cigarettes, they are bad for you! Smoking pot is got all the same combustion poisons just not the nicotine. Smoking is smoking whether it's cigarettes or dope.

http://www.alternet.org/drugs/what-are-risks-marijuana-smoke-compared-tobacco

The people have spoken. Government's job is to IMPLEMENT. I have never seen the addition of "Government Control" ADD to the free will of the people. The LEAST Law is the BEST Law.

Comments are now closed.

politics
advertisement
advertisement
Live streaming of WBOB Talk Radio, a Sunshine State News Radio Partner.

advertisement